Goodness Me, Goodness You!

Community National Schools were established in 1998 as a new model of multi-denominational education for 21st century Ireland, under the patronage of the Education and Training Board of Ireland (ETBI). The Goodness Me, Goodness You! (GMGY) a curriculum is the Patron’s Programme for Community National Schools. GMGY is taught in Community National Schools during time traditionally scheduled for ‘Religious Education’.

Multi-belief, values curriculum

GMGY is multi-belief and values curriculum. It has been developed specifically for Community National Schools. GMGY aims to support, promote and underpin the multi-denominational ethos of Community National Schools. A multi-denominational ethos is one which seeks to foster a genuine respect between people of all belief systems in the school community. GMGY aims to prepare children for life in our pluralist society by providing a high quality, child- centred, inclusive, multi-denominational primary education for every child.

Developed through collaboration

GMGY has been developed in collaboration with children, parents and teachers of the schools, the local Education and Training Boards, the Education and Training Board of Ireland (ETBI), the Department of Education and Skills (DES), assisted by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).

Child, home, community

The child’s life is at the heart of GMGY. Through the GMGY curriculum, children explore their own life, their relationships with others, and their connections with the wider world. GMGY acknowledges the primary role of the home and the community in nurturing the child’s faith or beliefs. It aims to support parents in this role. Community National Schools celebrate major belief/religious festivals through the school year. Parents are invited to contribute to the school’s celebration of significant religious ceremonies or rites of passage, through sharing their own practices. Community National Schools can work with local faith leaders to enrich children’s understanding of different values and beliefs held by specific belief and religious groups.

Children who wish to receive Sacraments of the Catholic Church are supported in their faith journey; sacramental classes are planned and held outside school time, in collaboration with local Parish representatives.

Values

The GMGY programme is also a values education programme. Children learn to think critically about issues such as Human Rights, Equality and local issues that affect them. Children are encouraged to listen to different perspectives and be open to views other than their own. The GMGY Curriculum enables children to feel confident and competent about their own beliefs and values and their understanding of others’ beliefs and values.